Is 5 (five) squirreles too many

[MartinDWhite]

While taking some trash out today I saw five (5), counted them twice to make sure, squirreles in my neighbors yard and an additional one (1) in my yard. These are little .25 arce lots. Is that too many squirrels? I have never hunted and never until just now thought that I really would. I would not eat them, but I do feel like shooting them because they are digging up my yard. I can see them doing it though my scope.

Should I pull the trigger?

How many here hunt but do not eat the kill? What do you do with the kill?

     Martin D. White

i would not eat a rat but would quite happily give one a lead injection

fin

[Splash]

Blast dem nutters Martin. I hunt and I don't keep the nutters for myself, but my buddies freezer stays full. I'm sure if you talk to your neighbors, one of them would love fresh tree rat.
Mike

[leftcoast1]

I would say if they are causing damage to your property it would be considered pest control and not really hunting. I have shot a couple of nuisance critters. I make sure they are dead and move them to trees by the lake and the raccoons take care of them. Not sure what others do with them when they are a pest problem. You could always see if someone near by eats them and donate them.

[longislandhunter]

I don't think 5 squirrels is to many,,, if food is plentiful they are very prolific and you will see more than usual. If they are doing damage than I would certainly cull the herd a bit, but if they aren't causing any damage I would just leave them,,,,, that's the shooting policy I follow on my property.

I eat them, and thoroughly enjoy them, but like the others have said,,,,, if you could find someone who eats them to give to that would be great. If not then they can always be placed out to become a meal for some other meat eating critter such as a raccoon or fox.  

Jeff

[Schmidty25]

Yea like others have said if you want to get rid of them, Animals will eat them like foxes, racoons.

[Big_Bill]

Hey Martin,

When I was able to hunt, I only killed what I would eat, or a friend wanted for food. And I have eaten squirrel, very stringy ! But varmints, pest animals, are free game. I have a Red tailed Hawk that just loves it when I take a few out, I just leave them on my shed roof, he does the rest.. :)

Bill

[shadow]

Sound's like they got plenty of eat''s if there's that many in one location but if they decide to get destructive on the house, feeder'etc you may have to drop a few. They'll get to know the sound of your baby shootin and will stay clear hehehe. I don't kill for the thrill myself and I do eat what I do drop except for Grackles, wouldn't heat a frypan up for em. I put out back by the slew and their gone the next day, cat's or other varment's. Now I'm setting up a feeding station and will start to do a night patrol to see what takes em.:) Ed

personally, for just me now, ONE is too many for the yard.

Last year I spent well over $400 to repair all the damage they caused. torn up lawn, landscaping, etc.

they are so thick around here no one can keep a garden. they dig up anything they can, and usually just leave it to rot when they realize it wasn't what they thought it was.

in the "5 yard area" around me, everyone has a pellet gun. I personally took out 108 last season, and the neighbors each got some number in the 30's.............and they are still in full force this spring.

I would say you just have to use your own judgement. if you don't eat them and they aren't harming anything, then you can let them go. I personally don't hunt any on my grandfathers land, even though they are just as thick there, but they aren't harming anything it seems.

but as you say, they are destroying property, you can in good conscience start taking them out.

-Mark